1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus able to carrying out a developing process on RAW image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, digital cameras that are capable of saving RAW image data have become available on the market. RAW image data refers to data obtained by A/D conversion of the signal output by the digital camera's image sensor (such as a CCD or CMOS). That is, RAW image data represents data prior to being subjected to image processing to generate picture (hereinafter termed “developing”); the data will become viewable as a picture only when subjected to a developing process. Thus, RAW image data can be thought of as “raw” data prior to any processing.
Where RAW image data is saved in a digital camera, it will be saved as a RAW file, in an image recording format known as the RAW format. However, since the RAW format is not a standardized specification, in many instances RAW files saved by digital cameras of different models or made by different manufacturers will be mutually incompatible, despite having the same RAW format designation. Specifically, the file extension, developing parameters, data structure, RAW image data compression technique, or other properties may differ. Here, developing parameters refers to information of various kinds required for the purpose of developing RAW image data, such as the optical black value, white balance information, arrangement information for the color filters of the image sensor, color space information, tone correction information, and so on.
Where a RAW file save by a digital camera is to be subjected to a digital developing process on a computer or the like, since RAW files are mutually incompatible depending on the digital camera model or manufacturer, a general-purpose software cannot be employed for the developing process. Consequently, individual manufacturers provide proprietary software for computer development of RAW image data contained in RAW files; in many cases, when the user wishes to print a RAW file, he or she will use this proprietary software to carry out the developing process of the RAW image data on the computer, save the image data in some universal format such as the JPEG format, then transfer it to the printer for printing.
Some printers have the capability of printing when a digital camera is connected to the printer via a USB cable or the like, or when the memory card of a digital camera is inserted into a memory slot in the printer (hereinafter termed “direct printing”). Technologies whereby a direct printer can be employed for direct printing of RAW files saved on a digital camera are under study. A technology whereby JPEG image data included in RAW files is extracted within the digital camera, and transferred to the printer for direct printing is described in JP2005-33468A, for example. Technologies whereby RAW files can be developed within the printer to enable direct printing are also under study.
As mentioned above, since RAW files created by digital cameras of different models or manufacturers are mutually incompatible, where RAW files are to be developed in the printer, it will be necessary for the printer to be provided, for each type of RAW file, with the information necessary to develop the RAW image data (hereinafter termed developing information). Accordingly, where the printer is provided in advance with developing information for RAW files in certain specific RAW formats, it will be possible for the developing process to be carried out on RAW files in those RAW formats within the printer, so that direct printing is possible. On the other hand, for RAW files in RAW formats for which the printer lacks developing information, the developing process cannot be carried out within the printer, and thus direct printing will not be possible.
For example, where a digital camera A made by manufacturer A and a digital camera B made by manufacturer B are models respectively capable of saving RAW image data, assuming that a direct printer C is provided with developing information for RAW files A saved by digital camera A, but not provided with developing information for RAW files B saved by digital camera B, while direct printing using printer C will be possible for RAW files A, direct printing will not be possible for RAW files B.
Consequently, when a user has saved RAW image data from both digital cameras A and B on a single memory card, if direct printing is attempted using the printer C, while it will be possible to print the RAW files A, it will not be possible to print the RAW files B. That is, in instances where RAW files of multiple types have been saved to a single memory card, some files can be printed by direct printing, while other files cannot. In such instances the user may feel inconvenienced if he or she cannot quickly ascertain which RAW files saved on the memory card can be printed, and which cannot.
This problem is one that is common to image processing apparatus having the ability to carry out developing processing of RAW image data, such as photo storage devices, computers, and the like.